


near, far (wherever you are)

by dizkipling



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-05
Updated: 2017-07-05
Packaged: 2018-11-23 14:37:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11404482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dizkipling/pseuds/dizkipling
Summary: adam parrish doesn't like birthdays, but maybe he'll like this one.





	near, far (wherever you are)

**Author's Note:**

> A belated birthday fic for Adam Parrish.

  
The sound of laughter followed them out of the restaurant, six voices raised in unison as they relived memories shared only moments ago. 

Adam Parrish felt hands clapping him on his back, arms wrapping him in an embrace. A chorus of  _Happy Birthdays_ sounded throughout the parking lot as they went their separate ways. Red cheeked and full of mirth Adam watched them go, piling back into Gansey's beloved Pig.  

He could hear the tail end of Henry's joke, and Blue's familiar laughter, watched Noah's shoulders as they moved up and down. Gansey's own attempt at a joke was not missed either, nor was Ronan's reminder that his joke once again fell short.

“It's a good joke,” Adam heard Gansey protest. 

The sounds of doors closing and the Pig's engine revving caused him to miss Ronan's response.

Adam himself began to walk towards his own car, all its imperfections illuminated under the streetlight. Any unease at having a birthday celebration, no matter how small or informal, had begun to dissolve. 

Not even Gansey's proposition that everyone should go around the table and say what their favorite thing about Adam was had left him unsettled for too long. Even Ronan offered up a few words, insignificant nothings to anyone but Adam. Their words were all sincere, leaving Adam with a swell of admiration running throughout his body. That feeling remained with him as he approached his car. 

He was grateful; he was happy.

It was when he went to unlock his car that Adam heard someone approaching, felt as something was being placed into his hand. Almost reluctantly Adam took hold of it.

“We said no gifts.”

Adam heard the low laughter, felt as Ronan’s lips brushed against his neck, softly, as though he was afraid. Looking down at the small object now in his hand, Adam could see that it was a cassette tape. From under the streetlight he could make out the words “Part Two” written in Ronan's familiar handwriting. 

“Please,” Ronan had stepped back now, giving Adam space as he studied the gift, “take it.” His voice grew quieter, seeming embarrassed he had even bothered. 

When Adam turned, he noticed Ronan's downcast eyes and hands shoved into his pockets. “I'm not mad,” Adam said, the sound of his voice causing Ronan to perk up.

“Just disappointed?”

“No.”

A type of quiet passed between them, the type that left both of them looking at anything but each other, neither of them sure what the other wanted to hear. The sound of cars passing by became the only noise. 

Adam was the first to break the quiet as he finished unlocking his car. “Thank you.” He said, now resting against the frame of his car. He kept his keys in one hand and Ronan's gift in the other.

“I know you said no gifts, but-“

“Don't worry about it.” Adam opened his door, “Do you need a ride?” He knew Ronan did, knew Ronan wouldn’t walk back to Monmouth and certainly not back to the Barns. Still, he offered all the same.

“I feel like I should be giving you a ride.”

“You didn't drive here.”

Adam thought he saw Ronan's lips twist upward in a smile, but any emotion was gone as he walked over to the passenger's side. 

Once in the car, Adam quickly started the engine, allowing the low hum to dissolve any silence that might have hung above the two. It took a moment, but soon the stereo kicked on. The music was loud, testament to Adam having enjoyed whatever had been playing on his drive to the restaurant.

Before they left the parking lot, Adam switched the cassettes, not taking his eyes off of Ronan as the new tape started to play. Ronan’s face gave off no emotion; he kept his eyes forward. 

It took a moment for Adam to register the song, but as soon as the vocals joined in, he brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. “Celine Dion?”

If Ronan replied, Adam missed it.

Shaking his head, he pulled his car out of the parking lot, the sound of Celine Dion’s _My Heart Will Go On_ ever present. One song replaced another as Adam drove, a new ballad each time. He parked his car just as a Whitney Houston song began, the second to play on the cassette.

With the car turned off, the familiar quiet resumed. Ronan’s eyes remained forward, his face blank. Adam waited for something, some remark about the gift or where they had gone, but nothing came.

“We’re here.” Adam tried, searching Ronan’s face.

With no response, Ronan got out of the car and moved to sit on the steps leading up to St. Agnes Church. Adam soon followed, taking his place beside him. By the way his shoulders slumped forward, Adam could sense Ronan’s obvious discomfort.

“What’s wrong?” 

“Who said anything was wrong?” 

Adam shook his head, a hand now moving to rest above Ronan’s knee, “I’m not an idiot, Ronan.”

“No, you’re not.” There was something else there, something more Ronan wanted to say. Adam didn’t pry, but rather began to pick at the weeds growing in the cracks between the steps. “Can we go inside?” He eventually said, now looking at Adam.

Adam nodded, standing up and offering his hand to Ronan. With slow steps they approached the doors of the church, and before they entered, Adam felt Ronan give his hand a quick squeeze. Before anything could be said, they were through the doors.

Adam let go of Ronan’s hand.

Sitting on one pew were Henry and Gansey, while Blue and Noah lounged together on another. On a makeshift table rested a cake, candles radiating a warm glow.

“Happy Birthday, Adam.” Gansey was the first to speak, giving him a little wave towards the cake.

“But I thought-”

“You’d get off that easy?” Blue left her pew and walked over to him. Taking his hands. she led him over to the cake. “We kept our promise. No presents, just cake.”

“Actually,” Gansey was speaking again, “this wasn’t supposed to happen. It was Ronan’s idea.”

 _Of course it was_.

Ronan's behavior began to make sense, he had been hiding something all along.

Henry began to explain the plan, with the others adding their own comments every so often. Ronan remained silent, hands back in his pockets. In the time they had left the restaurant and prepared to get into their separate cars, the plan had transpired. 

“Wait,” Adam was looking at Ronan now, “how’d you know I would take you here? What if we had gone somewhere else?”

Ronan shrugged, “I didn’t.” A smile had returned to his lips, one that Adam had watched both ravage cities and build them back up.  

“And the tape?”

“Would have given it to you anyway.”

Adam looked around the room, eyes settling on each of the faces he had come to love. There was no better word for it, each face meant something to him. And for one reason or another, he loved them all. They gathered around him, five hands finding a piece of him to touch as they urged him to blow out the candles.

“Make a wish,” came Noah’s soft voice.

Laughter resumed as the candles were extinguished, a mock fight over who would be allowed to cut the cake beginning to break out. It was eventually decided that Adam should cut his own cake, and he did, handing out piece after piece. The six took to their pews, mouths full and smiles warm.

Adam Parrish didn’t remember many of his birthdays, having let many of the toxic memories with his father filter out of his brain. In that moment, however, with his head resting against Ronan’s chest, ears filled with the sound of Gansey’s jokes, he wished the future would hold more birthdays like this one.


End file.
